The present invention relates generally to virtual machines and more particularly to policy driven virtual resource allocation.
In various virtual system environments, including clustered and cloud system environments, virtual machines can be deployed and executed based on virtual resource definitions. Virtual resource definitions for virtual machines may include specific requirements regarding the number and types of resources, where types of resources include capabilities of each individual resource or group of resources. Typically, available resources are often over-committed and only assigned to virtual machines as required. In addition to processor and memory resources, virtual machines typically require other resources such as, I/O adapters. These adapters are often virtual adapters, hosted by physical adapters that share the limited capacities and capabilities provided by the physical adapters. In the event virtual machines are activated and deactivated with high frequency, the required adapter resources need to be assigned, released, and reassigned.